Helmut Marko admits that Ferrari have generally been faster than Red Bull over one lap, but believes that the Milton Keynes-based squad have otherwise been on a par with their rivals in terms of pace. Points-wise, Red Bull have built a clear lead over the Scuderia, with their advantage in the Constructors' Championship currently standing at 97 points. Max Verstappen, meanwhile, sits 80 points clear of Charles Leclerc in the Drivers' standings. However, Ferrari have still displayed promise at recent races, including a strong showing in regards to pace in Austria and France.
Marko admits where Red Bull have deficit to Ferrari
When asked if this suggests that Red Bull have a more complete but slower package than their opposition, Marko denied that this was the case, but acknowledged the area where his team struggle to match Ferrari. "We have always been on a par with Ferrari this season, apart from Barcelona," Marko told Motorsport-total.com . "Often the form of the day has decided who was ultimately in front – apart from strategic or technical problems, which we have significantly fewer of. It's only on the single lap that we might have a slight deficit. "Leclerc has about as many pole positions as we have wins. Pole position doesn't say much, and after these are tracks where overtaking is possible, it's not such a criterion. "In Monte Carlo or Singapore it will be a different story. The crucial thing is that you can have the speed in the race without overloading the tyres."
Marko denies that Verstappen was slower in France
Despite Ferrari seeming to have good pace over the French Grand Prix weekend, Marko disagrees with the suggestion that Verstappen was slower. "I have to clearly disagree with that: At Le Castellet, Max was the faster in the race," the Austrian said. "If you are 10 laps down within a second, it shows that you are the faster one. We were the faster car there in the race. "Over the season, it's eye-to-eye. It depends on the form of the day and the updates. They always have an impact for one or two races. But even that is not a significant shift in power."
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